All week, we talked about Alex Grinch as the person USC fans had to worry about heading into South Bend to play Notre Dame. If USC lost, chances are Grinch and the defense would sink the Trojans against the Fighting Irish.
If Grinch wasn’t going to lose this game for USC, who was a likely second choice? Maybe the linebackers or the secondary. Maybe Lincoln Riley with a bad game management decision. Maybe Denis Lynch with a crucial missed field goal.
Caleb Williams was the last person anyone — USC fans or USC haters — expected to lose this game.
Yet, he did. It’s impossible to avoid. Caleb’s three first-half interceptions handed Notre Dame free touchdowns and basically decided the game.
Now we have to face the reality that Caleb Williams allowed a game to snowball on him. It is easily his worst game at USC. It’s a game which will lend fresh momentum to the claims that North Carolina’s Drake Maye is a better NFL prospect.
There’s a lot to unpack after this game. Let’s start with national reaction to Caleb Williams’ face-plant, a truly shocking turn of events: